washington

We now know one of the two "huge" non-conference opponents that Dave Brandon teased last week, as today Michigan announced a home-and-home series with Washington scheduled for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. From the athletic department release:

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan and University of Washington will renew an old rivalry when the two football programs meet for a home-and-home series during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. This will be the 13th and 14th meetings between the two schools.

The Wolverines will travel to Seattle, Wash., for the matchup on Sept. 5, 2020, at Husky Stadium. The return trip by the Huskies will take place at Michigan Stadium on Sept. 18, 2021.

"We are excited to rekindle a rivalry that has showcased some great games and great teams for both programs," said Brady Hoke, U-M's J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach. "There have been some exciting, down-to-the-wire football games between Michigan and Washington and we anticipate the same type of contests when this series is played at the outset of the next decade."

This will be the fifth time that the two programs have played a home-and-home series.

Michigan holds a 7-5 edge in the series, winning the most recent contest in 2002 when Phil Brabbs connected on his famous game-winning field goal—a game also notable for Marlin Jackson setting the school record for pass breakups while defending Washington's All-American receiver, Reggie Williams.

For Brabbs, a former kicker for the University of Michigan who kicked one of the most famous field goals in Wolverines’ history, his next battle is on the horizon.

Diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (a cancer of the plasma cell), Brabbs, a 1999 Dow High graduate who turned 29 on Aug. 7, is preparing for his treatment to start next month at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Treatment Center.

The cancer, specialists told Brabbs, has been growing. In a year’s time, it’s gone from being in 10 percent of his bones to 30 percent.

Vada Murray is horrible enough. Brabbs is younger than I am:

“This has been a long, drawn-out process. It started when I was 25 and living in North Carolina,” he said. “I would have a panic attack and this stabbing pain, and have no clue what was going on.

“Age is on our side,” Brabbs added. “The average age for a person getting this is 68. That’s why we want to be aggressive (with treatment).”

It sounds like he's going to have a difficult few months with chemo and radiation and a stem-cell transplant, but Brabbs is upbeat. He's even got a blog.